I waited with the others nervously, but I was really the one best suit for that job. Dust tried to talk me out of it. Sandra tried to talk me out of it. Neon seemed amused. Only William just supported me. He, er, she believed in me, and I loved her for it. I mean, I wasn't... angry at the others for being worried. Dust Kicker... she was really worried for me, and that was touching, but I had to do it, if it was going to be done at all. I was also clean, so I wouldn't infect the guy, even with all his injuries. I doubted they were nice about throwing things at him, despite any rules.
My thoughts were broken when Dust Kicker stepped up to me and sharply saluted. "Good luck, and keep your wits around you. I'll expect you to be back nice and fast. We should barely have time to miss you, so go in, get back, done, and we'll laugh about it."
I smiled gently. "I'll try to make that happen, Dust. You wait for me here, and I'll make sure everything goes by the book, alright?"
Dust put a hoof under my chin. "Dusk Hope. Hope... Just take care of yourself. You're more important than 'by the book', alright?" Before I could argue, she kissed me on the nose and turned away.
A small bit of me took her display of her back end as an invitation, but I stomped on that part. There was work to be done, and my herd needed me a lot more than that. I focused on the center of the town and soon appeared beside a building overlooking it. From there I could see there were a few guards loitering lazily. They seemed to have some kind of pattern, but didn't take it very seriously. I waited for them to get into a conversation when they passed by each other and dashed quickly from cover to cover, creeping up on the raised platform that held the stockades.
The human there, that uncle of the girl. He looked tired and messy. They had thrown things despite a little sign that asked people not to do just that. The guards didn't try to clean him at any point, giving a sort of silent approval of the treatment. I felt angry, boiling a bit at the thought that my 'fellow ponies' could be so heartless, but they weren't my fellow ponies. They were just people, like anyone else. They weren't 'mine'.
Of course, they also thought he was a murderer, and had little reason to think otherwise. I put aside accusing thoughts from my mind. My job was to get him out, not chastise people who may have had no idea they could be wrong. The guards had started moving again, but they were still bored, and that was good for me. I let them wander, waiting for them to all be as far as they ever would be from the human.
One of them stopped in front of him. "You, killer. You still awake?"
The human thrust up his middle finger, a gesture he had become quite skilled at performing. The guard rolled her eyes. "Nobody's impressed. For somebody that's going to die, you could show some dignity. I know the big guy's been absent of late, but it couldn't hurt, you know, say a few prayers before you go." She tilted her head a little. "If he isn't listening, you don't lose anything, but if he is, you know?"
The man focused on her with a new intensity. "You know, that's... actually very thoughtful of you." The guard smiled, and they seemed to share a moment. "I'll do that."
She nodded her head . "I'll leave you to your peace. Everyone deserves a moment before..." She walked off slowly, leaving him to his prayers, and my attention.
I snuck up, body close to the ground. "Please don't say anything. I'm here to help."
He glanced towards me, but he couldn't face me the way he was forced to stand. "Who's that?" He spoke in a low tone, barely more than a whisper.
"My name isn't very important, but I'm being honest."
He chuckled a little. "You sound honest. You a pony? You sound like one of those, too. You here to offer me a last chance at four legs? Fuck off if you are. Killers don't need four legs or two."
I shook my head even if he couldn't see that. "Pony, yes, but not here to change you. I know you didn't kill, and your friend's safe. I want to br... Be right back." A guard was coming, so I scrambled away back into cover behind a barrel and waited. This next guard wasn't nearly as polite as the first. She hefted up a tomato and flung it at the human before going on her way as if nothing had happened. She said something unkind, but I couldn't pick out the particulars.
When it seemed clear, I snuck back up to look over those stockades. It was locked with a fat padlock. It wasn't very delicate or intricate, just strong. I began feeling over it with my magic, exploring its internal workings slowly. The faint sounds of the jiggling metal caught his attention. "You're back? Do you mean it? You're sure she's safe?"
"She's safe, with my friends. Do you remember she was, um, bought? We're not from around here," I spoke as I tried to focus on the insides of that lock. Lockpicking wasn't one of the things I had practiced, but I really didn't want to smash it and make more noise than I had to. "She misses you, and if you didn't kill somebody, you shouldn't be forced to be here like this." Another guard was approaching, so I slipped away, but kept my magic focused. When I got into hiding, I could still feel the lock, but kept it still until the guard passed.
I could fiddle with those internals without sneaking back out, so I did just that. I found it! There was a little part that held it shut that was separate from the entire locking mechanism. If I pulled it up, it should slide off, but I didn't dare pull it yet. It would be impossible to reach without literally having a finger inside the device, but I did! I gave an internal cheer for unicorn magic and waited for the next opportunity to creep up on the man. "I'm going to unlock then, then I need you to grab ahold of me and don't let go." He gave a little nod, and that would have to be good enough. I threw the lock. Click! I yanked it free and he shoved his way upwards from the stockade that wasn't locked anymore.
He turned and spotted me, looking uncertain, but he did as I asked. He quickly moved beside me and grabbed my mane. "Do whatever you're doing."
"Where's the human go?" came the voice of one of the guards. Our time was up. I threw up a shield around the human and blinked away. In my panic, my aim wasn't very good, but we were away. We ended up on the rooftop of the town hall.
He looked around with confusion before he seemed to realize where he was and crouched low out of sight. The guards could be seen down below, investigating the area and trying to find him. "I don't know what you just did, but it feels awful, and I might be sick, but thank you."
Looking him over, he was a huge mess. Covered in bruises and mess, I felt bad for him. I worked magic over him, cleaning away the mess rapidly. There wasn't anything I could do for his bruises and injuries, however. "You're welcome, but we should keep going. Can you take another jump? Oh, um, I'm Dusk Hope."
He flopped down onto his butt, sitting. "That's a mighty appropriate name. You arrived a little after dusk, offering me hope when I thought that was all behind me." He let out a slow breath. "Let me catch my balance. We're safe up here."
None of them were looking up here. Shouting started.
"You! You were talking to him! I saw it! He smiled! What did you do!? You let him go!" One of the guards was accusing the other, and the third one seemed willing to join in the accusations. The accused one stomped and tried to defend herself, but her words fell on deaf ears.
I didn't like it... "She's... She didn't do anything wrong."
He seemed to agree. "She never said anything mean for the sake of it. She has a good heart. If they decide she was the one that set her free, they'll put her in the stockade next, as a lesson, or worse."
I grimaced at the thought of it. "We can't just leave her... It's partly my fault."
The human clapped me on the shoulder. "You're nicer than I figured, and I already figured you were pretty nice. What are you going to do about it? I can't be of much help, I'm afraid. I talk a big game, but I'm one big walking bruise right now."
I didn't blame him. I held up a hoof at him for silence. He didn't seem to comprehend the gesture and looked confused. "Shhh." That got through.
We both looked over the roof as they decided it was assuredly the guard's fault and began tying her up despite her loud protests. Other ponies were emerging from their houses, confused at the going-ons, but word that the human had escaped, and the guard was responsible seemed to spread quickly, and the confused crowd turned into an angry crowd. The cries turned ugly as suggestions for branding her a traitor to just hanging her, a mob lynching. Her tears didn't move them as they built into a communal frenzy.
The mayor arrived wearing a set of pajamas, but frowning with the gravity of the situation. She spoke clearly and loudly. "My fellow citizens, never before have we had a guard turn so clearly against us. Greased Lightning, it seems your morality is the quickest thing today. Do you have anything to say in your defense?"
She trembled. "God as my witness, I didn't do anything wrong! I didn--"
The Mayor made a dismissive gesture and one of the other guards slammed into her side, silencing her with a cough for breath from the solid impact. "I've heard enough. What say you, my people?" The crowd cheered for blood and justice as one, stomping their hooves as they chanted. "Betrayal is the worst crime, even worse than that human. To err is human, they say, but we're supposed to be better. You unleashed a murderer, and for what?" She scowled at the accused. "Get the rope ready."
She was going to be hanged! Panic surged through me in an electric tingle. I could hear the human shuffle at the announcement. He was just as affected, I was sure. I had to do something. The crowd roared with approval and bloodlust while foals were guided away back to their homes. Foals didn't need to see someone hang, but that didn't slow the proceedings.